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Getting passed on for a punter hurts. Fifteen months after the Baltimore Ravens selected a punter over him in the 2022 NFL draft, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III still feels slighted.
With the 130th pick of the draft, the Ravens snagged Penn State punter Jordan Stout. They’d hoped Austin would still be around with their fifth of six fourth-round picks at No. 139. But Pittsburgh has an affinity for small speedy receivers and grabbed the 5-foot-8 Austin from under the Ravens’ nose at No. 138.
Peter King of NBC Sports, who was embedded with their front office on draft day, implied the Ravens were set to take Austin at 138. For his Football Morning in America column, he wrote that when the Steelers swooped in and took him one spot in front, someone in the draft room blurted out, “Gotta be kidding me.”
Austin hasn’t forgotten about Baltimore doing him dirty.
“Man, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been thinking about that,” Austin told Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko on June 26, 2023. “It’s wild. It’s one of those things where you know, obviously, I’m blessed and I’m just so 100% glad that I came here. I’d be lying if I said that hasn’t been on my mind since the draft, since that came out.”
Austin, 24, said he takes the insult personally and looks that much more forward to their matchups this fall. “A punter, huh? It’s personal. But that will all be settled out, lord willing, this year and the times we see them. I just have it circled. Crazy.”
He’ll have his first chance to show what Baltimore missed out on when the Steelers face the Ravens in Weeks 5 (October 8) and 18 (TBD). He didn’t have that opportunity during his rookie season.
Steelers WR Calvin Austin III Spent 2022 Season on Injured Reserve
Passing on Calvin Austin III for a punter worked out in the Baltimore Ravens’ favor — at least temporarily. He sustained a Lisfranc (foot) injury in the final training camp session before the preseason kicked off. He landed on injured reserve on September 1. Though he attempted to return, it wasn’t meant to be. Shortly after returning to practice on October 5, 2022, the rookie reaggravated the injury, which led to surgery and season-long IR.
Throughout it all, Austin kept a stiff upper lip. He knew what he had to do not to fall behind, attending team meetings and practices and rehabbing at the Steelers facility, per Teresa Varley of Steelers.com.
“My head was still there,” he said. “I just couldn’t get the physical aspect done. When I went back out there, I was impressed with myself. I was excited and hoping to help the team. I just had another misstep at practice, and we decided to get it fixed.”
Steelers Expectations For Calvin Austin III in 2023
The 2022 offseason buzz surrounding Calvin Austin was big, and so was the disappointment from Austin, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and their fans when he was sidelined.
Austin now has a lot to prove in what is essentially his second rookie season. But just how much of an opportunity will he get? The Steelers are loaded at the receiver spot, having traded for Allen Robinson II this spring and drafting 6-foot-7 tight end Darnell Washington. It’s hard to imagine he’ll be on the field often, let alone a top option for quarterback Kenny Pickett. With blazing speed, he could contribute as a return man on special teams.
Mike Clay of ESPN projects Austin to chip in 158 yards and a touchdown but sees Gunner Olszewski retaining his kick and punt return post.
Barring injury, don’t expect a whole lot from Austin in 2023. But he’ll still have two years remaining on his rookie deal after this season, so there’s still plenty of time to prove his worth.
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